


Cruising

by WestEndBroadwayBaby



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV), NCIS
Genre: BDSM, Crack, Crossover, Cruise Ships, Fluff, Implied F/F/F pre-slash, Light Angst, Multi, Oral Sex, Secret Relationship, Smut, Spanking, Threesome - M/M/M, Undercover as a Couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-15 09:48:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13028463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WestEndBroadwayBaby/pseuds/WestEndBroadwayBaby
Summary: Undercover on a kinky gay cruise.  Why not?A jolly Christmas crack!fic.Written for the 2017 NCIS Secret Santa Gift Exchange, in response to a set of prompts.  The story focuses primarily on characters from NCIS, although characters from Criminal Minds also have a small part to play.  Two characters from Law & Order: SVU also make a cameo appearance.Thank you to cutsycat for much-appreciated betaing.





	Cruising

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Musichick2004](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musichick2004/gifts).



“What’s the catch?”

The Director, Gibbs and DiNozzo all turned to look at McGee, who had been silent until now.

“I mean it. There has to be a catch. There’s no way the government is paying for two of us to spend a week on a Caribbean cruise in January with no responsibilities other than a general instruction to ‘keep an eye out for anything unusual’.”

“The government isn’t paying, Agent McGee.” 

“Pardon me?” Gibbs had been observing the discussion from a spot near the office door, but now he moved purposefully towards his colleagues at Jenny’s desk.

“The ship’s captain is ex-Navy, and he’s concerned about some strange - but fairly unquantifiable - activity on the part of certain passengers. He has nothing more than a vague suspicion, so this is a favor rather than official business. The captain has arranged for DiNozzo and McGee to join the ship as his guests when it takes on new passengers tomorrow.” 

“Why McGee and DiNozzo?”

“The captain actually offered four free spots, but you need to be at the Pentagon with me for Tuesday’s briefing. And McGee and DiNozzo best fit the demographic for the undercover elements of….”

The Director was interrupted by the intercom. She spoke a few words to her secretary, and moments later, Jimmy entered the room with some forms for her to sign. 

As Jimmy waited for the Director to finish with the papers, DiNozzo spoke up.

“If it’s not official business, and there are free cruises going spare, why doesn’t young Mr Palmer join us? I bet he’d enjoy some R&R in the sun! Right, Jimmy?”

Jimmy looked over to DiNozzo, confusion evident on his face.

“You and McSeasick could bunk together. You could keep each other company while I made sure that some of the women on the cruise were enjoying their vacation to the fullest, if you know what I mean.”

The Director looked up from the papers. “It would be very unorthodox….”

“The whole damn thing is unorthodox, Jenny.” Gibbs didn’t quite sound angry, but he certainly wasn’t happy.

The Director continued. “There might be some advantage to having more eyes and ears on the ship. And we don’t have any other suitable agents that we can spare.” She turned to Jimmy. “Would you be willing to spend a week on a cruise with Special Agent McGee and Special Agent DiNozzo, Mr Palmer?”

“A free cruise? What’s the catch?” 

Jimmy seemed surprised when DiNozzo laughed and McGee sighed at this question.

“There isn’t a catch.” The Director paused. “However, I don’t think that DiNozzo will be meeting many ladies. The upcoming cruise is specifically organised for gay and bisexual men. Which is why I have not asked Agent David to participate.”

McGee snorted, drawing stares from everyone in the room. He quickly spoke up. “I don’t have a problem with that.” After a brief pause, he continued. “Honestly. But you do all realise that going undercover in a gay setting is an enormous cliché, right?”

“Cliché or not, I am asking you to do it. It is just possible that there is actually something very sinister going on.”

“So are you in or not, Jimmy?” Tony’s tone of voice made it quite clear that he expected the answer to be a resounding No.

“Why would I turn down a free cruise?” Jimmy looked to the Director. “That is, of course, if you’ll allow me to go out in the field … or, um, out to sea or….”

“Fine. I’ll let the captain know.” Everyone else in the room looked at Jenny in surprise. “There’s a commercial flight at 07:30 tomorrow that will get you to the ship in good time. We will have a final briefing in here at 16:00 today. In the meantime, make sure you are suitably packed and dressed for an upscale gay Caribbean cruise.”

~~~~~~~~~

The briefing took place in MTAC. The Director explained that she would be carrying out most of the briefing herself, since the Captain would only have a few minutes in which to speak with them. The video conference with the Captain would therefore primarily serve as an opportunity for the Captain to identify his guests from NCIS and for them likewise to “meet” him, in case there was an urgent need for contact during the cruise.

The Director then told the the agents and Jimmy what she knew of the situation. The Captain had become concerned because he had observed a number of minor anomalies with the ship’s navigation and surveillance systems. None of the phenomena would have been too troubling as a lone occurrence, but the Captain felt that the sudden incidence of multiple events, and the inability of trusted crew members to find rational explanations, suggested that something sinister could be afoot. At the same time, his instinct - born of his military experience - was that something so unquantifiable might need to be investigated very discreetly. He had therefore reached out informally to the Director. 

The Director explained that the ship was part of a cruise line that catered to upscale clients, with smaller ships and more personal attention. The coming cruise had been marketed exclusively to gay and bisexual men, and would include a number of speakers and workshops. Response to this special cruise had been very positive; the cruise had sold out almost immediately, with the passenger list including around 200 “regulars” who had traveled at least once before on the same ship in the preceding three months. DiNozzo, McGee and Palmer would be receiving electronic copies of a full guide to the week’s activities within the next half hour. 

DiNozzo, McGee and Palmer would be met at the airport by employees of the cruise line and would be transported to the ship along with other passengers. Embarcation would take place in the early afternoon and there would be a day at sea before the ship reached its first port. There would therefore be plenty of opportunity for the passengers from NCIS to familiarise themselves with the ship and its passengers before there were any further changes to the ship’s occupants or its cargo.

Gibbs, Ziva and Abby would be aware of the unusual mission, but otherwise no one at NCIS would be in the loop.

After 25 minutes of briefing, the Captain joined the meeting by secure video conference.

“Captain, let me introduce you to Agents Anthony DiNozzo and Timothy McGee, and Mr James Palmer.”

“Thank you, Director.”

Tony was quick to step slightly forward and speak up. “Great to meet you, Captain. I’m the Senior Field Agent on our team, so I will be coordinating our efforts.” He paused for effect. “To cover as much ground as possible, I will be joining the ship as a wealthy solo traveller, while my colleagues here play a loving couple. Agent McGee and I will explain that we know each other in passing from our old prep school.” 

As he finished speaking, Tony chanced a quick look at McGee and Palmer, who were hearing this for the first time.

~~~~~~~~~

After the video conference ended, DiNozzo waved McGee and Palmer into a conference room for a quick discussion of logistics. As soon as all three were inside the room, he closed the door.

“I know that the next week is - literally - going to be a pleasure cruise, but we still have to treat it as the undercover mission that it is.”

“Yes, Tony.” McGee sighed, barely refraining from rolling his eyes.

“And I know that you are most comfortable when tucked up in bed with just a computer and a smartphone for company…”

McGee raised an eyebrow.

“...but you’re going to have to pretend, just this once, to be a man with an actual libido. At least you can get out of some flirting by pretending to be taken.” He smirked. “You’re welcome.”

Tony turned to Jimmy. “As for you, Autopsy Gremlin: if you can try to remind Probie at regular intervals to enjoy himself, he can focus on running all of those checklists that he has in his head, keeping you nice and safe. And maybe, if we’re all lucky, we can all get some good food and a tan out of all this.”

Jimmy smiled tentatively.

Tony looked at his watch. “Anyhoo, you’d better hit the mall and try to find something suitable for a sexy Caribbean cruise. See you at the airport!”

~~~~~~~~~

The journey to Miami went without a hitch, although McGee and Palmer were unimpressed to see that DiNozzo had - unlike them - somehow managed to be seated in the business class cabin. The three made it to the ship (with DiNozzo in a taxi and McGee and Jimmy in a cruise company minivan) and to their cabins without incident.

Half an hour after embarkation, following a quick change of clothes, all three could be found at the welcome party around the main pool. Tim and Jimmy had only just arrived when they felt a presence approaching them from the other end of the pool.

“Timothy!” 

The two turned to see DiNozzo approaching, looking entirely in his element in tailored shorts and half-unbuttoned shirt, holding a champagne cocktail in one hand.

“It’s so good to see you. It must have been, what, six years?”

McGee scrunched his face a little, as though trying to think of a suitable response. “Seven, perhaps? The installation of the new headmaster?”

“That must be it.” Tony smiled. “And who’s this?”

Tony paused to take a good look at Jimmy for the first time since the airport in DC. McGee couldn’t decide if Tony’s reaction was brilliant undercover work or genuine surprise: in a major departure from his usual comfortable scrubs, Jimmy was wearing a very tight T-shirt that drew attention to his six-pack and almost met the top of his tight but equally flattering shorts.

There was no time for an answer, as the small group was interrupted by a crew member in a sparkling white uniform.

“Hello, gentlemen.” He shook their hands. “I’m Brad Magnussen. I’m the ship’s Director of Entertainment.” Two more passengers stepped into their small circle as Brad continued. “I’m very excited about everything that we have in store for you this week. It’s our first kink-friendly gay cruise, and the reaction so far has been incredibly positive. I’m excited to see how things play out.” 

Brad continued to speak enthusiastically for another minute or two before excusing himself and moving on to the next group of people. The three undercover NCIS agents were left with the new couple. 

Tony quickly made an excuse before heading back to the bar. 

McGee turned to the newcomers. “We should probably introduce ourselves. I’m Tim, and this is my partner Jimmy.”

“Great to meet you, Tim. I’m Sonny, and this is my partner Rafael.”

“So what’s your story?” Jimmy finally spoke up now that Tony was out of earshot.

Rafael answered. “We’re looking for a bit of winter sun. And a bit of R&R. We love New York, but it’s good to get away sometimes. And it’s nice to get a chance to be ourselves together. How about you two?”

“We’re from D.C. Looking for winter sun as well. And maybe a bit of inspiration for a book.”

“Are you a writer? Rafael has published a few books.”

Tim took another look at Rafael, and this time recognised him as an Assistant United States Attorney whom he had encountered on the book circuit. Their eyes met for a moment, and Tim felt reassured that Rafael was too sharp to say something that might jeopardise Tim’s anonymity.

Finally, Tim spoke. “I’m trying to see if I can make it as a novelist. But this week, like you, I’m looking forward to getting to be myself with Jimmy. And maybe we can even learn a thing or two at the workshops!”

Jimmy put an arm around Tim’s shoulder and pulled Tim closer, kissing Tim’s cheek and he ground his crotch against Tim’s hip. “And I’m going to spend this week making sure that Tim focuses on things that give one or both of us pleasure. He takes himself a bit too seriously back at home.”

~~~~~~~~~

McGee shut the cabin door firmly after following Palmer in from the hallway.

“Did you have to wear something so tight? I could barely keep my hands off you.”

Palmer giggled and turned to look coyly at McGee. “I don’t think anyone here would actually mind if you had your hands all over me. Even the Director would approve, if it got you closer to finding some information.” He started to kiss McGee very enthusiastically, playfully grabbing a buttock with one hand as he caressed McGee's hair with the other.

McGee quickly grabbed Palmer’s lower wrist and deftly maneuvered Palmer onto his back on the bed. He used one hand to pin Palmer’s wrists down above his head, while using his feet and ankles to limit the movement of Palmer’s legs. McGee then resumed the kissing while unbuttoning Palmer’s very tight shorts with his free hand.

Once McGee had efficiently freed Palmer’s balls and leaking cock from the confines of the shorts, he paused the kissing and raised himself up over Palmer. He looked down at the cock and then up at Palmer’s eyes, waiting for a nod from Palmer before releasing his wrists - with a stern look that made it clear that they should stay in place - and then swiftly taking Palmer’s entire length in his mouth and working on a very effective blowjob. It was perhaps a bit too effective, since Palmer only lasted a minute or two before coming forcefully in McGee’s mouth.

Minutes later, McGee had finished cleaning Palmer up and was pulling him into his arms. Palmer broke the silence. “Do you think DiNozzo has figured it out yet?”

~~~~~~~~~

The two did not get to relax in the afterglow for very long, since dinner was about to be served. They put on casual dinner wear (starting to realize just how many wardrobe changes a cruise required) and made their way to the dining room, where they were seated with six other men - but not with Tony, who could be seen chattering away at another table with a few men who would not have looked out of place at a fraternity reunion.

It took Tim and Jimmy only moments to recognize two of their dinner companions as FBI agents whom they had encountered before during an investigation of a serial killer. They then endured several stressful minutes in which they tried to reach an unspoken understanding with the two - Derek Morgan and and Spencer Reid from the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit - that their day jobs should not be mentioned, while all the while having no way of communicating about this with one another.

The meal was excellent, and the conversation quickly turned to the workshops and island ports scheduled for the coming days. However, there was still the puzzling question for Tim and Jimmy of what exactly Derek and Spencer were doing on the ship, and whether it was personal or professional. Certainly there had been no indication during their mutual case in DC that the two FBI agents were a couple - but then again, no one at NCIS seemed to be aware of the McGee-Palmer relationship either.

At the end of the meal, Tim lingered over his coffee, hoping that after the others had left the table he might have an opportunity to talk to the two FBI agents. The other four did eventually head off together to the ship’s casino, leaving Tim and Jimmy with Derek and Spencer. Tim then innocently asked if the others might like to explore the Promenade Deck; he was met with positive responses.

The conversation was minimal until the four were on the Promenade Deck, which was essentially deserted, likely due to the strong, loud wind and cold air. Tim was pleased that the wind was so loud, since it would effectively mask their conversation from potential eavesdroppers.

“It’s great to see the two of you again, if also a bit surprising”

Derek was quick to reply. “It’s good to see you both as well.”

“So is this personal or professional for the two of you?”

“Professional.” Spencer was very quick to answer, and Derek possibly not quite quick enough to hide a flash of disappointment in his eyes. 

Derek filled in the blanks, at least a little. “It’s highly unusual, but we have a case in which our profile points very strongly to a certain passenger on this ship. We can’t get into the details, but it’s significant enough that the decision was made for us to join the cruise. It was decided that Pretty Boy and I were the profilers who would blend in the best this week. I’m taking that as a compliment.”

Derek paused and smiled, and Spencer took the opportunity to comment. 

“You know, the idea of two law enforcement colleagues going undercover in a gay setting has been a common trope in fan culture for a long time. In fact….”

“Tim said the same thing yesterday.”

“I think that Tim and Spencer may have a few things in common.” Derek smiled broadly. “So are the two of you here professionally as well?”

“You could say so.”

“Well I guess we shouldn’t be completely surprised to encounter NCIS at sea. Is there anything that you can tell us?”

“Not really.” Tim silently rued the fact that there was in fact next to nothing that he, Jimmy and Tony even knew.

“Well do let us know if you see anything.”

“And please do the same.”

With that, Spencer and Derek disappeared indoors.

After Derek and Spencer had headed off, Tim and Jimmy completed one more circuit of the Promenade Deck, silently strolling hand-in-hand. Tim hoped that this made him look like a contented lover rather than a nosy investigator - but he also just really enjoyed being able to hold Jimmy’s hand in public. Tim took in the layout of the technical equipment visible from deck, and made a mental note of things to discuss with Tony. 

_Maybe Tony’s experience as Agent Afloat would serve the team well here…._

When they were back where they had been when the foursome had split up, Tim and Jimmy took the nearest door, and quickly found themselves standing near the edge of a dance floor around which couples were waltzing to the music of a small orchestra. The two found a spot behind some tables, where they could watch the dancing and speak quietly without being overheard.

Jimmy squeezed Tim’s hand. “Have you ever wondered what it would be like to learn to dance like this, Tim?”

“I wouldn’t say ‘wondered’.” Tim paused. “The Admiral insisted that I take lessons, in case I ever attended a formal event. Other types of dance lessons were out of the question, because - in his words - they weren’t manly enough. But apparently a gentleman needs to be able to lead a lady on the dance floor. As does the son of a naval officer.”

Jimmy looked concerned. He responded to Tim in a very quiet voice. “Are you sure you want to keep watching? I mean, if it brings back bad memories….”

Tim put his arm around Jimmy. “This is absolutely nothing like that. For a start, the couples on the floor here are all men, who have chosen to be here on the ship and who seem to be dancing by choice. And you can see so much sexual energy in what many of them are doing. It’s incredibly wholesome and elegant, and yet intimate and primal at the same time. It’s great.” 

Tim kept on watching the dancing, almost mesmerized, before speaking again a couple of minutes later. “But how about we make some new memories? If you’d be up for that?”

Jimmy looked at Tim for a moment, considering the proposition, and then smiled.

“Definitely.”

They watched the dancing for a few more minutes, and then when the orchestra started to play a rumba, Tim held out his hand and nodded his head toward the dance floor. Soon, he and Jimmy were out on the floor, one of several couples moving to the music. Tim was keeping his dancing very low-key, but he nevertheless stood out, not just for his height but also because it was evident that he really knew what he was doing. More than anything, though, Tim made his presence felt because the way in which he was dancing with Jimmy was incredibly sensual, even in a room with a great deal of sexual energy.

The two were so caught up in the moment that they didn’t notice that Tony had wandered into the room and was watching them intently.

~~~~~~~~~

At midnight, as prearranged, Tony arrived at his colleagues’ room to compare notes. He nosily looked around the room, smirking at the one queen-size bed as he gestured for Tim and Jimmy to join him in the bathroom, where he turned on the tap before speaking.

“Is that really necessary?” Jimmy looked anxiously at the running water.

“Yes.” Tim and Tony answered him simultaneously, before Tony looked at Tim in surprise.

“Before we start, Probie, let me just say how impressed I was by your little performance on the dance floor earlier.”

“What, Tony?”

Tony took a few moments to compose a reply. “Let’s just that if you two were women, I would have found that really hot.” He paused again. “Why didn’t you tell us that you have the moves, Probie?” He paused. “And since when were you so good at acting?”

Tim smiled. “Did I just hear a compliment?”

“Credit where credit’s due, Probie.”

“Anyhow, Tony, the case.”

“Yes, the case. Or the lack of one.” Tony didn’t seem to disappointed at the possibility of a week on the ship without anything to investigate.

“Have you noticed that there are FBI agents undercover on the ship?”

Tony simply raised his eyebrows. Tim took that as a No.

“From the BAU in Quantico. Derek Morgan and Spencer Reid. We were seated with them at dinner.”

“Did you say anything? Or did they?”

“Tony!” Tim glared at his NCIS partner. “Do you really think so little of us? And are you forgetting that Reid is a genius who can probably remember every detail of every time he has met either of us, along with all of the reasons why identifying me as a federal agent would be a Very Bad Idea?”

“Calm down, McDefensive! But do you have any idea what they’re doing here? Are you sure they’re not just another happy couple on on vacation?” Tony smiled a little, as though the suggestion itself was absurd.

“You mean like Sonny and Rafael? Yeah, we’re sure. We went for a little after-dinner stroll with them on the Promenade Deck. The BAU is very interested in someone on this ship. But that’s all that they told us.” Tim paused. “I guess we at least have to be happy that there are two more sets of eyes on the ship. But it does seem like an awful coincidence that the FBI is interested in someone here - and interested enough to put two top agents on an expensive cruise for a week.”

“They have their own jet, Tim. Maybe the BAU’s budget is bigger than you think.”

“So what’s the next step?” Jimmy was growing impatient - or perhaps just concerned about all of the water that was being wasted.

“There’s not too much that we can do, other than participating in a range of cruise activities with our eyes wide open, and the rest of the time doing whatever it is that Probie does with his laptop late at night.” 

“Speaking of the range of activities….”

“Yes, McGee?”

“Jimmy and I will go to breakfast at the buffet, and then we’ll do the 10:00 a.m. shibari workshop in the large activity room. Maybe you could go to the impact play workshop that starts at 10:30?”

“Has someone been studying the activity schedule?” 

“Technically, Tony, that’s part of our job. And if we’re going to be looking for a needle in a haystack on a kinky luxury cruise, we might as well explore a number of different haystacks.”

Tony considered this for a moment.

“Impact play, Probie?”

“You know: like spanking. Maybe you’ll learn something. And maybe there actually is something going on, and there’s a person of interest and he’s into spanking. Maybe he’ll want to spank you, or you’ll want to spank him, and you’ll gain some information in the process. You just never know.”

Tony did not have a ready answer. Instead, he steered the conversation to logistical considerations for the coming day.

~~~~~~~~~

Tim and Jimmy arrived at the room for the shibari workshop about ten minutes early. Derek and Spencer were already there, Spencer casually leaning on Derek’s shoulder as they stood near the window. Tim used the bag that he was carrying to stake out a spot near the front of the room, and then he and Jimmy walked over to the other two for a chat before the session began.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Jimmy asked whether Spencer and Derek had a particular interest in rope play. Derek casually indicated a moderate level of interest before Spencer took over with a more detailed answer.

“Actually, the history of shibari offers some fascinating insights into the interaction of taboos, cultural norms and human physiology in the public and private spheres. I’ve read a few books on the subject. In fact I read a really interesting one last night in bed, but I’m looking forward to some practical experimentation today.” Smiling affectionately at Derek, Spencer continued. “It’s not something that Derek and I have tried before.”

Derek grinned.

Tim cast an assessing look at the pair. He still wasn’t quite sure to what extent there were actual feelings between the FBI agents and, if so, to what extent either of the two had acted on them. 

_This wasn’t awkward at all._

Jimmy, meanwhile, had practical questions for the two. “Will one of you be doing all of the rigging today? Or do you switch?” He didn’t allow time for an answer before he excitedly continued. “Tim’s almost always the rigger with the two of us. He really enjoys coming up with new scenes, and I really enjoy the sensations.” Jimmy looked at Tim. “Tim is amazing when he’s in control.”

Derek smiled broadly. “I think that boy genius and I will just have to see how it goes today. I might have fun trying to blow his brilliant mind.”

Spencer quickly shifted the topic of conversation. “You two brought your own equipment with you?”

Tim replied easily. “The brochure mentioned that participants might want to bring their own rope. We had room in our bags, and I have pretty strong preferences when it comes to rope, so it made sense to bring our rope with us.”

Tim and Jimmy were certainly not acting as Derek and Spencer might have expected based on their past professional interactions.

Before the conversation could progress, the session leader called the group to order. Tim and Jimmy quickly returned to their prime spot, with Jimmy sitting on the floor between Tim’s legs, with his back to Tim’s chest, and Tim’s arms wrapped around Jimmy’s arms and chest, holding him firmly in position.

What was probably not evident to those around them was the fact that Tim was playing quite aggressively with Jimmy’s nipples, more or less hiding his actions from view with his other forearm. Tim’s efforts were having an immediate and lasting effect on Jimmy’s nipples as well as on his cock.

“As you know, today’s session will be about takedowns. We will talk about some traditional takedowns, as well as some other approaches that you might wish to consider. I’m sure that many of you will have quite a lot of experience with rope - and indeed I can see that a lot of you have brought your own rope with you. Rest assured that this class will be accessible for everyone, although there will be opportunities for more advanced participants to experiment with variations on the things that we are teaching.” 

He paused before continuing with his instructions. “If you aren’t here with a partner, and you have not yet paired up with someone in the room, please find someone now. You can switch roles with one another during the session, or you can agree on which role each of you would like to take. Just please be sure, in any event, that you and your partner are clear about limits and boundaries.” The instructor paused for a moment. “Please find yourself a spot where you have enough room and you can see me. And please feel free to borrow some rope from the collection by the door.”

As the session’s leader delivered these opening notes, Tim continued to lavish attention on Jimmy’s nipples, while at the same he started to observe those around them with a bit more resolve. There were about 40 men in the room. Most seemed to have arrived with partners. In a cruise on which most people would be sharing a room with a friend or lover, he supposed it made sense.

Over the course of 45 minutes the leader and his model went through a number of different maneuvers intended to immobilise and restrain, some of them more intricate than others. Participants were encouraged to experiment with each one in turn. Tim threw himself into the session, diligently trying each of the combinations on Jimmy and observing their effectiveness and how he might modify them in the context of a broader scene. At the same time, he continued to keep an eye on the others in the room. Tim tried to make it look as though he was taking an interest in the rope work being done by the others; it turned out that he indeed found it both interesting and stimulating.

Once the formal instruction was complete, the participants were given another half hour for further practice. The couple closest to Tim and Jimmy left almost immediately. At this point, Tim had Jimmy very effectively restrained on the floor, with his wrists bound separately behind his back and linked to a length of rope that would put pressure on his chest and neck if he tried to move them; Tim was about to embellish the tie by incorporating Jimmy’s legs when he saw Derek and Spencer move to the newly-vacated space beside them.

“We didn’t mean to interrupt your flow!” Derek looked concerned. “If our being here makes you uncomfortable, please say.”

Tim affectionately tapped Jimmy’s collarbone. Jimmy opened his eyes, which had been closed, and looked at Tim.

“Does it bother you if these two join us? Please speak freely.” Tim spoke very gently to Jimmy, who was clearly still very much within their private scene. 

Jimmy acknowledged Spencer and Derek by making eye contact with them, and then said “Not at all!” before closing his eyes again.

“We weren’t asking to join you!” Spencer seemed a bit flustered. “But I am really interested in what you’re doing. I’d love to watch.”

“Have you tried any of the ties? I couldn’t really see the two of you during the class.”

“We mostly watched. Pretty Boy was trying a few things with the rope, but mostly on his own legs and ankles. I tried to get him to try on me, but he wouldn’t.” 

Tim still wasn’t sure where the acting stopped and the reality began with the FBI agents.

“Did you do any tying, Derek?”

“This workshop was Spencer’s idea, so I was just letting him do his thing.” Derek paused. “Maybe I missed a trick there.” He turned to Spencer. “Would you like me to try tying you? That might give that amazing mind of yours a break for a moment.”

Spencer answered very quietly. “Sure.”

Tim used this opening to move things forward. “We can show you a few things, if you want. We’ve been tying together for a few months now. It really works for us.”

Tim was aware that Derek and Spencer might, much like him, be trying to decide how much of what was being said was true. He smiled to himself.

Spencer and Derek had indicated that they would be interested in learning more from Tim and Jimmy, so Tim proceeded. First of all, he motioned for the two to come closer and then encouraged them to feel the tension in the ropes on Jimmy and in particular to use their fingers to feel the amount of give between the ropes and Jimmy’s skin. He then carefully untied Jimmy and helped him to do a few stretches before they started again.

Tim encouraged Derek and Spencer to copy the positions that he and Jimmy had taken, before going through a few takedown scenarios very slowly, allowing Derek to mirror what he was doing. As a very experienced law enforcement officer and trainer, Derek had no trouble picking up the technique. Before long, he had Spencer tightly tied on the floor and was embracing him.

“Talk to me, Baby Boy. How does that feel?”

Tim smiled as he watched the two interacting. Regardless of whether the two were physically intimate back on the mainland, the connection that they had in this moment was really strong.

~~~~~~~~~

While his colleagues were busy in the shibari session, Tony was attending the impact play workshop. He had had some reservations about attending, but ultimately his curiosity got the best of him.

There were nearly 40 participants in the session. For the first 20 minutes, they watched a lecture-cum-demonstration in which the instructor demonstrated spanking positions, techniques and instruments with the help of a very physically fit companion who was wearing nothing but a small pair of white briefs. 

Tony had never even considered attending a seminar on impact play before now, but he found that the session was very engaging. In fact, he had to remind himself that he was supposed to be paying attention to the other attendees as well as to the demonstration. Any concerns that he had had that spanking would bring back unhappy childhood memories were quickly pushed away as soon as Tony saw just how different this was and also how stimulating even the demonstration was for both of the parties directly involved.

The demonstration was followed by a discussion and Q&A session. Tony found the comments really interesting, especially when some of the people asking questions were then offered hands-on demonstrations of the answers. At least two different questioners ended up willingly stripping from the waist down and letting the session leader position and then spank them in front of the whole group.

Despite his interest, Tony managed to push most of his spanking-related thoughts to the back of his head for later while focusing on the people around him. 

One attendee in particular, a man in his forties with a military-style haircut, caught Tony’s attention. He was going through the motions of following the discussion, but he didn’t seem at all engaged or stimulated. Instead, he was constantly doing things with his smartphone - which, given how far they were from land, could presumably at best be connected to the ship’s WiFi. 

If Tony had been asked before the session whether the man’s lack of interest would be any cause for concern, he would practically have laughed off the question. Having been present from the start of the session, however, he seriously questioned whether anyone who was voluntarily attending could be that uninterested. He also got a strange vibe from the man generally. He wondered what Gibbs might have to say about his gut when it came to this guy.

After the Q&A, the session was formally closed, but participants were encouraged to stay and talk (or more) with one another. Several left, but others quickly engaged in conversation. Seeing that his mark was still there, Tony decided on an utterly unsubtle approach.

“I’m Tony.” Tony took on his most flirtatious manner as he entered his target’s personal space. “What did you think of the session?”

The man appeared to be taken by surprise at the approach. He shook Tony’s hand very formally as he replied. “Jonas. Nice to meet you. I must be going.” 

With that, Jonas turned and left the room.

~~~~~~~~~

At lunch, Jimmy and Tim were seated with Tony and three other passengers. The six introduced themselves, and Tony quickly explained that he and Tim knew each other from private school a long time ago.

One of the passengers started the small talk. “How were your mornings? Did you make it to any of the workshops?” 

“We put our rope to good use.” Jimmy grinned as he held out his wrists over the table to show the others the faint rope marks that remained. 

“ _Your_ rope?”

Tim replied to this question. “We saw the suggestion in the cruise details that we might want to bring our own, and we had some room, so we did. Jimmy and I tried out a few different kinds of rope before we settled on this one. It’s nice to use the one that we like and, of course, this way I also know how it fits his body and how much for any given scene.”

There was something both liberating and thrilling for Tim in being able to talk very freely about his kinky activities with Jimmy, all the while enjoying relative anonymity with respect to their fellow passengers as well as plausible deniability vis-à-vis Tony.

“So was the workshop worthwhile? Did you get anything new out of it?”

“Definitely. The guy leading the session was great, and it was interesting being in a room full of other queer men for a change.” For emphasis (perhaps), Tim gave Jimmy a look of pure lust.

Tony was outwardly taking an appropriate level of interest in the conversation, but Tim was really hoping that on the inside Tony’s mind was being blown. 

Palmer spoke. “How about you, Tony? Did you make it to any of the workshops?”

“I made it to the impact play one. Most of it was pretty straightforward stuff, but the demonstration was still very enjoyable.” Tony paused. “I tried to flirt with a guy named Jonas, but he seemed immune to my charms. Something must be wrong there.”

Tim made a mental note of the name Jonas.

As the lunch continued and some of the group enjoyed some beer, the conversation became more overtly sexual. Tony, who was acting slightly intoxicated (whether due to brilliant undercover work or just the effects of multiple beers) turned the conversation back to Tim and Jimmy and their rope play.

“So Jimmy, does that mean that the two of you are getting up to all sorts of kinky rope play in your cabin at night?”

If Tony had been hoping to make either of his colleagues blush, he would have been disappointed.

 _Two can play at this game._ Tim grinned. “Why would we stop just because we’re on a cruise?” He paused for a moment. “We’re making good use of the balcony as well. It’s fun to be able to be kinky outdoors, with thousands of people nearby but no one watching. And the balcony furniture and railings provide for some interesting scenarios.”

Tony didn’t have an immediate response, so Tim continued. “Were you asking must to make conversation?” He paused for a moment. “Or were you hoping to be invited to join in?”

Tony swiftly changed the subject.

~~~~~~~~~

After lunch, Tim made his way back to the cabin while Jimmy went for a walk around the ship. During lunch courses, Tony had managed quickly to tell Tim a bit more about Jonas during a quick visit to an otherwise deserted men’s room.

Based on the very limited description that Tony had provided of Jonas and of what he was doing, Tim used his laptop to log into various networks on the ship and to try to do a bit more snooping. He also called Abby on his satellite phone, once again using running water to try to mask the conversation from local eavesdroppers (and enduring its negative impact on the telephone conversation). Tim asked Abby to run background on any passengers named Jonas, and also to liaise with Penelope Garcia at the BAU to see if she could provide any further information on the Bureau's person of interest.

Tim was still working on his computer when Abby called with more information. There was indeed a passenger on the ship called Jonas Quintana, who was a former Marine. Penelope Garcia had not been able to provide Abby with much information, but when Abby had directly asked whether her NCIS colleagues might want to be vigilant around one Jonas Quintana, she had agreed that they should.

Tim had been working for nearly an hour when he realised that Jimmy had never returned. After writing a short note explaining what he was doing, Tim left the cabin to go and look for Jimmy.

Tim would never be able to forgive himself if Jimmy were to be hurt on this cruise.

Tim’s first stop was Tony’s cabin on the other side of the ship. Jimmy wasn’t there, and neither was Tony. 

After some further searching, Tim found Tony on a deckchair by the main pool, happily sipping a cocktail and people-watching. Desperate to update Tony and enlist his help in finding Jimmy, Tim reluctantly took the approach that he thought would work best in front of such a large audience.

Sitting down on a neighboring deckchair that was fortunately available, Tim smiled broadly at Tony and then spoke. “After lunch, Jimmy and I were talking. We wondered if you might be interested in playing with us this afternoon.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. “Pardon me?”

“We thought it might be fun.” Tim winked (winked!) at Tony. “And a part of me has been waiting for this since high school. Maybe we could go for a little walk and discuss what we had in mind?”

Tony recognized the cue, but was also keen to milk the situation.

“Are you sure you don’t want to discuss it right here? I’m not shy.” Tony smirked.

Tim gambled on the fact that he was more experienced in the world of gay kink than Tony, and also a lot less shy than Tony thought. “Well you told us earlier that you’re a sub, and that you’re especially into humiliation, and that you particularly love sounding and watersports. Ordinarily, we’d suggest a fairly simple scene with some spanking and orgasm denial, but we could certainly work some of your other interests into our play.”

“Let’s take that walk.”

The two headed straight to Tim and Jimmy’s room, which was empty. They once again went into the bathroom to talk.

“What’s going on, Probie?”

“I think I’ve figured out at least part of what’s happening. But more importantly, I can’t find Jimmy, and now that I’m pretty sure that there is something going on, I won’t feel ok until I know exactly where he is. I mean, he’s not an agent. He shouldn’t be caught up in all of this….”

Tim was obviously quite agitated by this point.

“Try to calm down.” Tony paused, and then started to look concerned. “He really means something to you, doesn’t he? I mean, it’s not just an act?”

“No, it’s really not an act. We’ve been together for almost six months now.” Tim looked up anxiously. “Does that change anything?”

Tony pulled Tim into a proper hug. “If you mean to ask whether I’m shocked that you have a boyfriend, then the answer is (a) that I’m disappointed in myself for not figuring it out and (b) that I’m impressed with for hiding it so well. That’s good undercover work.” Tony paused for just a moment. “But I’m really happy for you both, and I hope that you never feel that you have to hide anything like this from me.“ He paused. “Right now, though, let’s find him and then deal with the rest of the situation.”

“We should probably also get Derek and Spencer in the loop.”

“Absolutely. But one thing at a time, Probie.”

“Ok.”

“So run one of your checklists for me: where could Jimmy be, and how can we most efficiently look for him?”

~~~~~~~~~

It turned out that Tim’s concerns about Jimmy had been unfounded. Jimmy had been coaxed into the ship’s spa by a rather aggressive spa employee with ambitious sales targets; he had been eager to keep out of Tim’s way as he worked and also interested in the mechanics of the deep tissue massage offering, and he had also found the treatment quite effective after an intense morning of rope work.

Jimmy emerged from the treatment area just as Tim approached the spa’s reception desk. He immediately recognised the concern in Tim’s eyes, and gave him a warm hug before heading back to the cabin with Tim.

~~~~~~~~~

As soon as they were inside the cabin and had closed the door, Tim pulled Jimmy into another tight hug and whispered “I love you” into Jimmy’s ear. As he released Jimmy, Tim reached for his hand. Tim continued to hold onto Jimmy’s hand as the threesome headed into the bathroom for a talk. Surprised as he may have been at the show of affection with Tony (and only Tony) as a witness, Jimmy embraced the opportunity to be physically affectionate with Tim.

Once they were in position, with the water once again running, Jimmy squeezed Tim’s hand and gave him a confused look.

“Tony knows.” Tim paused. “I was worried about you, and he could tell.”

“Before you start panicking, Jimmy, I’m really happy for you both. And young Timothy here is a very lucky man.”

Tim squeezed Jimmy’s hand again as he replied. “Thank you, Tony. That means a lot.”

“Yes, thank you, Tony.” 

Tim smiled cheekily. “Now we won’t have to hold back on the dance floor!”

“Anyhow, Probie, you had some intelligence on the thing-that-may-actually-be-a-thing-after-all?”

“Yeah. It looks as though someone is trying to interfere with certain signals - mostly systems that detect nearby vessels and identify this ship to other ships and government agencies. I can’t think of why someone would want to do that unless they are trying to conceal some sort of activity from this ship or - more likely - use this ship as a sort of shield to hide a vessel of their own.”

Tim let Tony and Jimmy digest that information before continuing. “I managed to get a satellite phone call in to Abby, and she did some research and also talked to Penelope Garcia of the BAU before coming back to me. This Jonas guy - whom I presume you mentioned for a reason - is a former Marine called Jonas Quintana. Abby couldn’t find anything interesting on him, and she couldn’t get Garcia to say much, but she did get Garcia to confirm that we should be watchful around him. Presumably Derek and Spencer might be able to tell us more.”

“So we need to get Derek and Spencer somewhere private and also get eyes on Jonas. Is there anything more that you can do from a tech perspective?”

“I can do a bit more, and also see what else Abby and Garcia can do from their end.”

“Ok. Jimmy, are you happy to try to find our BAU friends and get them here for a chat?”

“Of course, Tony.”

“Then I’ll go and try to keep an eye on Jonas. I’ll try to keep him thinking that I just want some hot, kinky sex with him.”

“Did I miss something?” Jimmy looked confused.

“Just some first-class undercover work, Jimmy.”

Tim laughed out loud before becoming serious again. “Could you maybe ask the BAU guys to meet us here and then try to find Tony and observe what he’s up to? We can then meet back here.”

“No problem.”

“And we mustn’t forget that we don’t know who else might be involved.”

“Good point, Probie.”

~~~~~~~~~

“Timmy!”

“Hi Abby!”

“Actually, it’s Abby and Penelope. We’re working together to try to figure out what’s going on in your little floating corner of the Caribbean. Have we mentioned that there’s freezing rain here this afternoon?”

“Your work is very much appreciated. That goes for both of you.” Tim paused. “And hi, Penelope.”

“Hello, Elf Lord.”

“Have you managed to find out anything more on Jonas Quintana?”

Abby was the first to respond. “Not as much as we’d like. But his movements are definitely hinky. Quite a bit of travel on cruise ships (or cruise ship _routes_ ), and also quite a few late-night visits to abandoned warehouses and that sort of thing.” 

Penelope jumped in. “On top of that, he seems to be a member of certain very underground communities online. Really nasty stuff. Maybe even human trafficking. I’m trying to dig deeper as we speak.”

“All of that actually ties in with what I’m seeing here. It looks as though he’s hacking various navigational systems and beacons, probably with a view to disguising some sort of maritime traffic near the ship. I’ll send you both some screenshots of what I’ve seen so far. And maybe we need to get an actual visual of what’s within a mile or two of the ship, since the systems might not be telling the truth?”

Abby replied. “By the looks of it, you’ll be in US territorial waters a bit later today. I’ll coordinate with Gibbs and the Director to have a Coast Guard ship sent to you as soon as possible.”

“Thank you both. I’ll be back in touch once we’ve had a chance to talk to Derek and Spencer, if I don’t hear from you sooner. Jimmy’s gone to try to find them, while Tony tries to keep an eye on Jonas.”

~~~~~~~~~

“This is Abigail Sciuto.”

“Hi Abby. It’s Abigail Borin. I don’t know if you remember me….”

“Of course I remember you, Abby. What can I do for you today?”

“Your Director has been in touch regarding a potential issue near a cruise ship north of Puerto Rico.”

“Yes.”

“She said that Agent DiNozzo and Agent McGee are on the ship. I’m actually nearby, with a suitable team on the right kind of vessel, so we’re about to head over that way. I was hoping that you could tell me more.”

“Of course. But if it’s ok with you, I’ll get Penelope Garcia from the FBI on the line. She’s working on this with me.”

Penelope was at her desk, and was looped in within seconds.

~~~~~~~~~

After some exploration of the ship, Tony found Jonas Quintana sitting by himself with a tablet and a drink in the lounge located directly above the ship’s bridge. Tony made himself comfortable at the bar, and ordered himself a drink.

Jimmy, meanwhile, managed to find Spencer in a corner of the ship’s library. He hesitated for a couple of minutes before interrupting Spencer, who appeared to be very quickly working his way through a book about ships and navigation.

“Hi Spencer!”

Spencer looked up, surprised by the interruption.

“I’m sorry to disturb your reading, but … um … Tim and I really enjoyed talking to you and Derek yesterday and this morning, and we wondered if you could … um … come by our cabin for a few pre-dinner drinks at half past. It’s cabin 832. Do you want me to write the number down for you?” Jimmy tried to indicate with his body language that the meeting was genuinely important, while a the same time trying to give the impression to anyone who might be in earshot that he was flirting (albeit somewhat nervously).

“Derek is in the gym right now, but I’ll touch base with him as soon as I see him and we’ll try to head down there.” Spencer smiled. “Thank you for the invitation.”

Jimmy was able to find Tony a few minutes later. He looked around the lounge for a few minutes before making contact with Tony and then quickly leaving.

~~~~~~~~~

Derek and Spencer arrived at the cabin a few minutes after Jimmy. They found Tim sitting on a small chair by the window, working intently on a laptop. A large tray balanced on the tiny table next to him held a variety of canapés as well as fruit and cheese platters.

“Thanks for coming. I ordered room service since I’m not sure we’ll make it to dinner. At least the buffet will still be going later. But let me show you something….” Tony motioned to the bathroom and then followed Jimmy and his guests into that space with his laptop.

Once Tim had explained what he knew, and what he had learned from Abby and Penelope, Spencer and Derek offered their thoughts. The trafficking of people fit their profile, and both BAU members also seemed fairly confident that Jonas would be working alone on the ship. They called Abby and Penny, who were able to coordinate with CGIS and the ship’s Captain, and another hour later Tim, Spencer and Derek were meeting the CGIS team as they boarded the ship on a deck very low down in the ship. 

The arrest itself was fairly straightforward. Thankfully, Quintana was still in the lounge, with Tony keeping a watchful (and slightly flirtatious) eye on him. The CGIS team took the lead, apprehending Quintana with minimal struggle while most of the ship’s passengers were still at dinner. 

The BAU members - who were most familiar with the profile - and Borin were going to take the lead on questioning Quintana while the Coast Guard team completed its assessment of the area around the cruise ship. The NCIS team could therefore stand down until the ship reached port the following morning.

~~~~~~~~~

It was a bit late for dinner in the dining room, so Tim, Jimmy and Tony ordered hearty dinners to Tony’s room and made the most of their free time.

Once they had eaten, Tim took the conversation in a new direction. “You know what I was saying on deck yesterday afternoon?”

Tony remained quiet as he considered Tim’s question.

“That … invitation … that I extended when I was trying to get you out of your deckchair.”

Tony raised his eyebrows.

“It was pretty obvious that some parts of you were taking an interest, Tony, even if your mind hadn’t quite caught up with them.” He paused. “Anyhow, the offer is for real. Jimmy and I don’t normally share, but as Gibbs said before we came on this cruise, none of this is normal. I know that you were excited about the idea of seeing me test my limits on a ship full of horny, kinky men, but I think that in this department, you’re probably the inexperienced one.”

Tim cradled Jimmy’s upper thigh in his hand as he continued. “We could show you a really amazing first time - and you’d get something educational out of this cruise.”

“Well when you put it like that, Probie….”

“We need to stay with the ship for another 12 hours or so anyway, and nobody needs us for the moment. And you’re not the type to turn down sex on - or at least quite near to - a tropical island.”

“Obviously we’d respect your limits, Tony. But isn’t there anything that you’ve always wondered about trying?” Jimmy definitely was bolder when it came to sex than he was in a work context.

“Did you two really and truly bring your own rope onto to the ship?”

Tim and Jimmy nodded.

“That you actually use?”

“Yes, Tony. It’s in our cabin.” Tim continued when he saw the interest in Tony’s eyes. “You could watch us, or even join in - or maybe you could tell us about what you liked best at the impact play workshop, and whether you’d like to try any of that?”

A few minutes later, after some discussion and negotiation, the three found themselves in the McGee/Palmer cabin. Tim had taken charge, in a way that Tony found both surprising and surprisingly arousing. Tim had instructed Tony to strip down to his boxers. Once Tony had done so, Tim had motioned for Tony to sit in the small easy chair beside the bed before binding Tony’s right wrist firmly to the outside of his right thigh and the doing the same with his left wrist and left thigh. After doing so, Tim had bound Tony's lower legs to the rear feet of the chair, so that Tony's legs were forced apart, exposing his thinly-covered crouch. Tim had then reminded Tony that he could watch, but that he was not to speak unless spoken to.

Standing at the foot of the bed, Tim and Jimmy had kissed enthusiastically while Tim carefully undressed himself and Jimmy. After ordering Jimmy to lie face down on the bed, Tim had then secured Jimmy’s arms behind him in an upper-body harness and also firmly bound Jimmy’s lower legs and ankles.

At this point, Tim paused to look at Tony, who was quite clearly aroused. “What do you think, Tony? Should I roll Jimmy onto his back and suck him off, or should I keep him like this and give him a thorough spanking?”

Tony went bright red.

“Well, Tony?” There was more silence, to Tim continued. “Or are you ready to take his place?”

For once, it seemed that Tony really was at a loss for words.

“Tell you what. Jimmy is going to get a spanking followed by a blowjob. You have two jobs: you need to keep a count of the strokes, out loud, and you need not to come. If you can do both of those things, then it can your turn next - and I think that Jimmy here will help out by paying attention to other parts of you while I am giving you a good seeing to. Right, Jimmy?”

“Yes, Sir.”

As anticipated - and even though the ropes prevented him from touching himself or applying any friction to his cock - Tony seemed to struggle considerably to avoid coming before Tim and Jimmy were done. However, Tim and Jimmy had not anticipated just how hard it would be for Tony to keep his voice steady while counting the strokes. Tony nevertheless succeeded.

Once Tim had untied the ropes and cleaned Jimmy up, he spooned Jimmy as he discussed the details of Tony's reward with a still-bound (and clearly very hard) Tony.

First, Jimmy attended to Tony's nipples with his tongue while Tim carefully undid Tony's bonds. Tim and Jimmy helped Tony up from the chair, and - with Tony's blessing - removed Tony's boxers to expose his dripping cock. Tim instructed Tony to hold his hands out in front of him, wrists together; he then bound them together effectively before motioning for Tony to kneel on a cushion that he had placed on the floor at the foot of the bed, facing the bed. Tim then bound Jimmy's wrists in the same manner before ordering Jimmy onto the bed. Jimmy kneeled facing Tim and Tony, and then moved to hold Tony's hands in his own.

Tim gave Tony a brief but efficient - and apparently cathartic - spanking, while Jimmy maintained eye contact with Tony and counted strokes with him. Tim then helped Tony up onto the bed, where Jimmy helped to secure Tony's bound hands above his head before teasing Tony's nipples while Tim sucked Tony off expertly. Once Tony had come, Tim swallowed before moving up to kiss Tony while he brought himself to completion, coating Tony's chest with his seed.

Once Tony had been untied and the three had cleaned up, Tim returned the duvet to the bed and the three drifted off to sleep in a tight embrace, with Tony in the middle.

~~~~~~~~~

While the three NCIS members were thus decompressing, the two Abbys and Penelope were busy coordinating the follow-up to Quintana’s arrest. Soon, though they were able to relax, since other Coast Guard agents were coordinating the maritime work and the transfer of Quintana to a military base for transport to Quantico.

As they started to sign off, Garcia made a point of thanking the other two for their efforts. “It has been a real pleasure working with two Abbys. I hope that I get to meet you both in real life one of these days.”

“I’d really like that. I’ll let you know if and when I’m ever in Virginia with some free time.”

“I’d like that too. And you’re really not that far away, Penelope. We could have some fun together.”

“I think that all three of us could. We all have a very good sense of what we like, and I, for one, know of no bigger turn-on than an incredibly sharp mind.”

~~~~~~~~~

Tim, Tony and Jimmy woke up at dawn, finding themselves in a tangle of limbs on the McGee/Palmer bed.

“Aren’t you glad you invited Jimmy along, Tony?"


End file.
